The devourer of darkness

A grade six and its disciples

The beast cackled and opened its mouth releasing a massive discharge of miasma. Immediately Ichiro sensed this, he turned the mask on. The miasma was a dense dusty looking purple gas, and in all that purple cloud, Ichiro could barely see. But he could hear, especially the grunting reverbing in the cold echo of the cave. Also no beasts were coming his way, he stood up quickly and stared at his armour, the second shoulder plate was ruined and it happened afterall the crashing into the wall

'One scratch' he reminded himself. He decided to find a way out of the cave on his own using the purple cloud as his cloak. Just as he was about to take the second step, the cloud of purple dispersed in an instant, revealing Kenta a different beast entirely and Geto sprawled on the floor. Ichiro was confused, he looked around with a sense of urgency, he needed to know

'Where did everyone go?'

His mind deviated as Kenta's sword clanged with the elbow spike of the beast. That was when he realised it, the other hunters were waiting until the beasts themselves provided them the perfect distraction. But what was this creature Kenta was combating? It looked similar to the other beasts, but it was much more bigger and over eight feet tall. Its black eyes were not as glowing as that if the previous beasts, but it's skin looked thicker. Ichiro glanced at Geto once more and nodded, he didn't have anyone to save. The Geto was a prick so far, and the captain looked like he was holding his own. With everyone occupied, including the beast, and Ichiro could not think of a better time to escape

'Time to escape'

He proceeded to move, but stopped as his gaze fell on the captain's gauntlet. Yes, he had crammed the paths they had taken along the way, but he needed that to pass through the Komons. Only a captain's gauntlet could access those gates, and Ichiro's mind began to work. There was no certainty that if he escaped the dungeon, he would be safer -- There could be beasts in the way, and honestly he could not handle those on his own. He needed people, but turning back to Kenta and Geto; he was not confident about them making it. But if he helped...he forgot that option, he could not assist Kenta martially even after taking down the Grade three beast. He was still just an ordinary civilian

'And that is what matters'

Living as the most ordinary civilian had thought Ichiro many lessons; even if had nothing to your name or fists, you could survive by being just as cunning as your opponent is strong. All he needed to find was where the beast was most vulnerable, have Kenta land an attack there and...it wasn't simple, but feasible -- and he had to do it while being invisible, which was something he had been doing his whole life.

Kenta lunged forward with his sword, but the beast instantly vaulted back creating distance between them, a distance that didn't favour Kenta. Suddenly it lunged forward, its claws raking against Kenta's armour, leaving marks.

[Poisonous substance detected -- danger within twenty metres] the gauntlet informed. Kenta's resolve almost shattered as he was reminded of his enemy's major upper hand. He retreated back recognising that he needed space. The beast averted its gaze from Kenta to Geto who was a better target, and feeding would double its strength and speed.

Compared to the other beasts, this one was not as fast, but Ichiro observed it was more deadly. Infecting metal was no small feat, he had to find something fast.

Kenta immediately summoned a voulge from his vault, and putting it in the way, he stopped the beast from moving. With a pained grunt using the voulge Kenta pushed the beast back. He was being careful, not wanting to come in close contact with the beast or its claws. Provoked, it lunged at Kenta, slow but the reach was brutal, the claws swept wide, but It didn't meet Kenta, he vaulted sideways and slammed his armoured elbow into its ribs instead. The creature staggered, and the thick black skin cracked under the impact. Kenta skidded, trying to avoid the beast retaliation, but caught himself. No claw had touched him, distance was life. The grade six recovered and swiped again, with the need to kill the human rising, its moves became wreckless. Kenta twisted, and felt the wind graze his cheek. That was close. He swung the voulge, and the beast was a second late to avert the blow, it came crashing on its sides. Swiftly, Kenta sliced its flesh. It roared loudly, and that was when Ichiro saw it

"Kenta-sama, it favours its right. Focus on the left!" He called. Kenta wasted no time, he continued attacking the left side of the beast, where it had an old scar. The voulge was the best weapon currently due to its long range, another precise yet brutal attack, the voulge cut its way into the old wound. The beast let out a guttural roar, and discharged miasma

Erika stopped, she could hear the roar from the underground kingdom, and so did the beasts. They stopped as well, and in unison, they released miasma to block the vision and weaken the hunters. But with the masks, all the hunters had to worry about was their sight

"Erika!" Boru called

"Everyone remain intact" Ayumi adviced. Whatever they were expecting did not come, as by the time the miasma had cleared, the hunters realised the beasts only created a decoy to go after the sound.

"Don't let them escape!"

****

"Ware wo oite hashiraseru, fujin no furumai nari, tsuwamono. (Making me chase after you is an not benevolent, warrior)" The beast roared as it chased after Ryo. Ryo did not attempt to look back, he wanted to take the beast as far away from the underground kingdom as he could, until there was a place bright enough and less familiar to the creature. His troop always treated him like the plague, even now when they were supposed to work together, they had made up their own plans leaving him out and taken separate paths from him. He could find them with the GPS that had been implanted in each hunter using his gauntlet, but there was no time. The beast was already on his tail, and he decided to take it on his own. There were so many risks to this decision: what if he encountered more beasts, or did not find the kind of environment he was searching for?

For now he was running on the cave walls, and the beast remained on the ground giving a little distance. But not for long, the beast joined him. It released miasma into the atmosphere, and in void of seeing anything except purple, Ryo fell to the floor his back hurting. The beast roared jumping down, in an attempt to pounce on Ryo and crush him with its weight ince and for all, but Ryo foresaw this, instantly rolled away, and stood up on his feet. He could not understand the language the beast spoke though it sounded Japanese. He chose not to care, all he was allowed to care about was returning alive. He wielded his voulge tightly and lowered his stance, charging towards the beast.

"Nanji wo horoboshi, waga nushu no onko wo en. (I shall destroy you and earn favour from my master)" It snarled as it charged towards Ryo as well. Ryo aimed for its legs, swinging his weapon. It dodged by lifting itself to the wall which it clinged to with its sharp claws. Its breath became heavy, shocked at how the hunter attacked it after running like a coward. It released miasma again, blinding Ryo's sight. It wanted Ryo to lose balance and strength. Ryo listened to every movement attentively, but that was his mistake, all he could hear were the mutterings the beast as a distraction. He felt a presence behind him, but when he turned, he saw nothing but purple.

"Ine, zokujin! (be gone, mere mortal)" In a flash,the beast attacked him from the purple, its claws penetrating the gaps in the armour and pinching Ryo's flesh. Ryo gasped gripping his side, but without allowing him recover, the beast delivered another strike matching Ryo's calves. Ryo grunted falling to his knees, the voulge fell on the floor as well and the beast kicked it away from Ryo chuckling. It picked the staff and with a low grunt, broke it into two.

Ryo got up on his feet, grasping his torso where the beast had injured him. He was infected, but not weak yet. He still had to fight before the poison spread. There was no time to produce another weapon, and he had to fight bare. The beast was enjoying the sight before him: a weaponless and infected man standing up to fight? He lunged forward to Ryo with another fatal strike in mind, but Ryo parried with a kick, and landed another kick that hit the beasts in its tandem. It staggered backwards and snarled in bitter frustration. the blow was not enough to put it to rest so it rushed it striking Ryo's torso again, Ryo lowered swinging his legs and in a flash the beast went crashing to the floor. He held his side again, moving with such force allowed the poison spread, now his blood was boiling and in less than ten minutes he would be no good than a paralysed man. The beast realising the poison was already the hunter sprang up to its feet

"Ima ya namuchi doku o kanzuru beshi. (Now you must feel the poison)" It looked up dreamingly and continued "Yagate nanji ga te o mo oboezaramu... (soon you will no longer feel your hands...)" It stopped abruptly realising the hunter was gone. It looked around in shock and fear, and turning to the wall next to it, it only caught sight of Ryo's foot in his face. It rolled on the floor helplessly, while Ryo landed on his feet breathing heavily.

The beast was recovering, it stood up tired, and tried to release more miasma, but it was spent. It let out a cry of frustration and stumped the ground raising dust. Ryo coughed and that meant the mask's effect was over he was lucky the beast could no longer produce miasma. Almost immediately he felt a sharp pain on but his legs. He had removed sabatons earlier in order to land that kick, and now the beast has used it own wit against him. Another kick on his side and Ryo coughed up blood that remained in the mask. The beast struck his head and he coughed up even more blood. He could no longer feel his legs and his right hand was paralysed, he fell to his knees

"Nanji wo mitsuru ni, tada ashi nomi zo yoki. (I have seen you, and all you are good for are your legs)" The beast said giggling as it appreciated its own wisdom. It crouched to Ryo's level and roared in his face. Ryo too tired to move away remained it the same position, and for the first time, the beast noticed the mask. "Kore wa nani naran (what could this be?)" it asked ignorantly, tracing the arcs of the mask with its ugly black claws as it tried to remove the mask. This was all Ryo wanted, a little time. He opened his left hand, and a supreme weapon appeared.

"Go to hell - demon" he stabbed the dagger into its tandem, and rolled away before the beast could react aggressive. The beast let out a shrill cry, as it went on its knees refusing to lay flat to its death. It kept roaring, choosing not to give in. Ryo could not even close his ears, infact he expected the worst, the beast's cry could invite even more, and he was in no condition to fight. Suddenly the noise ended, and from blurry the world went black

"Stupid grade five"

****

The beast roared even louder and miasma covered the entire room. As it died down, Ichiro could identify the beasts he had encountered earlier, and now there were four of them.

They bursted forward, their dark purple eyes reflecting torchlight. Faster than the Grade six, and lighter on their feet. They spread wide, trying to flank. Kenta planted his feet heaving, the Grade six behind him was down, but not dead. There were no room for mistakes.

The first Grade five lunged, claws aiming for his thigh. Kenta pivoted, drove the voulge forward and it caught the beast's wrist. Bone cracked. The creature skidded back, hissing. The second one vaulted from his left, blindly Kenta turned swiftly, and the claws passed inches away from his face. He slammed his shoulder down and crushed the beast's collarbone. It buckled and fell back, but right where it landed, Geto held it down and stabbed it in several places, horrifying Ichiro

'Wait, I thought he's paralysed?' Ichiro was surprised at how Geto managed to get back on his feet.

It was almost a fair fight, Geto used his sword despite the fact close range was not something Ichiro would advise anyone. The two worked like a pair made in heaven.

'how impressive'

****

"It's been two days" Emiko said pitifully, the policeman faked a smile "we are trying our best my dear. Do not worry, rest assured -- we would find your brother before you know it"

Emiko dropped her school bag on the table and sighed heavily.

"You stopped at the station?" Hitoro asked, she nodded slowly "papa, do you really believe Ichiro has left home?" She asked. He inhaled deeply "I don't know what to think, Emiko" he muttered "but I know I've been a horrible father" he said lowering his head. Emiko hurried to him, and knelt before him "never, you are amazing" she said nodding "and Ichiro will only be ungrateful if he doesn't see that"

************************

Ichiro helped Kenta out of the cave. He was tired and injured himself, and honestly Kenta's weight was indeed a toll. But Kenta was more tired. Geto walked on his own, but with one of his sides partially paralysed, he could not help anyone other than himself.

"Kenta-sama!" Ayumi rushed to Kenta and took responsibility for helping him walk. He took a deep breath glancing at all the hunters. They were all tired, and most injured, but more than everyone was Masaru who Boru was carrying on his back. He was clearly paralysed.

"The beasts we drew out, some escaped..."

"They came back to us... Kenta had to fight them all" Ichiro muttered "Geto helped, but not for long. I couldn't help at all..."

"Nothing is expected of you, rookie" Boru said cutting Ichiro off. That was Boru's way of comforting anyone.

Kenta looked around again, and Ayumi glanced up at him

"Kenta-sama, is there a problem?" She asked. Ichiro gasped

"Ryo-senpai, where is he?" He asked the question Kenta wanted to ask. Erika's eyes widened

"Er..." She scratched her head and turned to Boru "Boru, where's Ryo?" She asked, Boru grimaced tightening his grip around Masaru's legs, he hissed in pain

"How dare you ask a supreme hunter for an SSR? Aren't you two in the same rank? You should know" he said turning his face away.

"You are both men..."

"Do not tell me you are a misogynist" he hissed. Kenta coughed

"Can you be quiet?" He hissed through clenched teeth. Erika and Boru only huffed looking away from eachother. Kenta glanced at the Komon "we almost left without Ryo and you dared to bicker? Both of you go and find him" Kenta ordered. Erika gasped

"Kenta-sama, who knows what we might en..."

"Now!"

The two hurried away, and Kenta left Ayumi's hold looking for a place to sit. He sat down on the floor resting his head on the cave walls. The hunters peered at Their commander looking his worse, although a smile was slowly forming on his face...or a smirk rather. His expression horrified them a little, it was very unlike the captain

'it has been far too long' he tapped the gauntlet and reported the mission complete.